If your child plays team sports through their school, you are probably looking forward to cheering them on during their season, and planning out your schedule around their practices. But have you planned for their sports physical yet? The pre-participation sports physical is required almost universally in the United States. Sports physicals help prevent risk and assess the health and fitness of children to ensure the activity will be healthy for them. Here’s why you should be thinking about your child’s sports physical now rather than later.

Better Safe Than Sorry!

Getting your sports physical during the summer will help you address possible health issues before they prevent your child from playing their sport. In many cases, issues like asthma, joint problems or old injuries need to be dealt with before a child can safely play their sport. A doctor doing the examination can often give advice and prescribe treatments for chronic illnesses or injuries before the season starts, so your child can safely begin playing, without worrying that they are going to hurt themselves.

Beat the Rush

Planning for your sports physical now also helps you avoid the back-to-school rush, which can be a stressful time for kids and parents alike. While you’re shopping for clothes, books and supplies, and choosing their class schedule, it will be a lot tougher to find time to run to the doctor for a sports physical. It’s much better to get it out of the way, and have one less thing to do to prepare for school in August.

There’s No Time Like the Present

If your kids love playing sports, their sports physical is the best way you can ensure they are able to do so in a healthy way. If your child doesn’t have their sports physical done on time, they might not be able to try out or join practices. Get ahead of the game this year by planning for a sports physical at AFC Urgent Care during summer vacation. Walk-ins are welcome.